Juliet Run
by halavana
Summary: Novel based on Space Trilogy by CS Lewis. Set several centuries in the future after Terrans manage to reach other inhabited planets only to discover we're not supposed to be there.


_This story is loosely based upon the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis: Out of the Silent Planet, Paralandra and That Hideous Strength. Set several hundred years in the future, it follows a group of Terrans who have managed to escape the confines of our Solar System. Critique welcome. There's a lot more to the story, but if no one is interested, this is it. _

A Brief History of the Bureau of Interplanetary Freight and Transport.  
(Compiled from the Journals and Writings of Admiral Alexander Bugby, Founder)

In the year 2349 Terran Standard, after nearly a hundred years of space travel, five of the original 20 ships, which set out from Terra July 7, 2256, landed on the planet Primo or One. At that landing events were set in motion which would, within 10 Terran years, bring about the formation of the Terran Freight Corporation, later renamed the Bureau of Interplanetary Freight and Transport.

The people of Primo were friendly and helpful, once they realized we were like no people they were warring with at that time and could not even speak their language. A gifted linguist, later revealed to be of the Sonaya, stayed with us and managed to teach us a language we now know as Solaris Anticus, the root language from which all languages in this arm of the galaxy have branched.

The linguist, upon realizing who and what we were, became perplexed, leaving us with the brief instruction and returning to her base to consult her superiors. We were informed soon after that we should not have been able to pass through the portals since we were confined to Terra. We did not understand what this meant until much later and now hold out hope that other ships may reach us in the future. They said there must have been a reason that we were allowed through, therefore, by decree of the Sonaya we were not sent back but had to move on to an uninhabited planet. We did not yet understand what the Sonaya were, so when presented another option - that of hauling a load of exports to a nearby planet, we gladly agreed to do so, after repairs and improvements to our ships were made.

Our welcome to Segundus or Two was similar, however the people of Segundus saw a long term use for us. They allowed us temporary residence on a small continent near the northern pole which we found habitable. Our families were permitted to stay behind while 2 ships returned to Primo with payment and return export. Another ship was sent to a third planet. By July of 2350 the Sonaya had permitted enclaves on 5 planets. They claimed they would allow us to reside only where the indigenous population and culture were most similar to ours, for our protection more than for fear of our influence upon the local populations. We could build depots where the residents were "too different" at isolated locations in order to avoid contact. On certain worlds we could be mistaken for prey, they said. We have come to appreciate the prudence of this. In just the past 10 years alone we have lost 150 BIFT employees who failed to follow procedure and were waylaid by the locals. Although the bodies were recovered unconsumed and offenders punished, Sonaya reckoning does not apply to Terrans, therefore we must exercise extreme caution when dealing with customer numbers 5, 12, 18, 26 and 30 as the locals are non-humanoid and do not recognize Terrans as Sentient.

By the end of 2350 we were in contact with 23 planets and had contracts with ship builders on Tercera to construct more ships for us. We were allowed to permanently colonize Luthel-4, which had no indigenous population but had been used as a penal colony. Having removed most of the inhabitants, the Sonaya no longer go there and have given complete jurisdiction over to the Bureau. The few remaining on Luthel were too old to go elsewhere and could provide valuable information about the planet. When questioned about our potential for population growth, the Sonaya informed us that our numbers would be limited to ten thousand everywhere but Luthel, which could support a population of twelve billion, if properly managed. In fact, Luthel is very much like Terra, and prone to the same natural phenomena: earthquakes, wind storms, floods, etc. 

The Sonaya are to be commended for their quick action in dealing with what we later found to be a serious philosophical problem for them. For an unstated reason, Terra was known as the Silent Planet, from which they heard nothing except the message sent out in the 1960's and an occasional rogue radio transmission. When asked why they did not answer they only responded "It is not permitted," and refused to elaborate.

We found Sonaya jurisdiction to allow a measure of impunity for us, but only insofar as we made no serious infraction of their law. In some ways they treat us like children. Any infraction by us is answered swiftly and justly, usually. At this writing we do not fully understand the breadth of Sonaya law but find it compatible to much of our own. The so called "Ten Commandments" make a good guide. We are quite willing to work with the Sonaya as they have been our protectors on more than a few occasions, particularly when dealing with dissimilar beings who wished to claim freight earlier than expected.

Great interest was stirred by our bank of frozen embryos; species which at one time had counterparts on many planets but had become extinct. Among these species were horses, cattle, dogs, house cats and sheep. The people of Primo and Segundus gladly allowed us use of their technology and facilities. Within 4 years we had enough breeding stock to start our own herds on Luthel. Even the Sonaya were pleased about the return of these species. Although Cantalon was once a leader in genetic engineering, most of their technology was destroyed in a civil war. Certain Sonaya from that planet remembered enough to aid us in our efforts beyond our expectations.

On numerous planets we were hired as messengers and go betweens for feuding factions. Performing such duties on horseback earned the title "outriders" for any planet stationed personnel who pilots the runs from the space depot to the local pick up zones. Outriders require physical stamina and strength, wit, flexibility and intelligence, therefore only the best of the best achieve this status.

The standard vehicle used by outriders for freight runs is commonly called a Scon, or Super conductor driven vehicle. Sonaya use of technology is limited but they are adept at assisting others in their use of it. Having harnessed planetary magnetism, they have mastered the anti-gravitational technology which we still lacked. These vehicles remain aloft by calculating positive and negative magnetism and maintaining the necessary conductivity. They are rather unwieldy at times and when fully loaded must be operated with caution, as the slightest waggle may cause it to capsize. Improvements have been made in later models but the risk remains at high speeds.

Numerous individuals have been found unsuitable as outriders and were removed from service. They have for the most part been relegated to service vocations such as maintenance, food preparation, etc. Those who are unfit for any type of service, which we once would have terminated, have been remanded to Luthel or allowed to construct their own communities on sections of BIFT property allocated to them, since their termination would put us in a precarious position with the Sonaya who view such action as murder and would deal with us accordingly. 

Excerpts from the Journals of Admiral Alex Bugby

April 19, 2349  
Humiliating. That's what it was. Humiliating! For 3 generations the 50 families of Terra sailed through space in 20 ships expecting to find "strange new worlds, new civilizations and life forms." On April 17, 2349 the 5 surviving ships landed on a habitable planet and what happened? Not only did they send us packing but they had the nerve to load us down with tons of freight! Couldn't do much else but go where they direct. They have been kind enough to let us rest a few days. Even outfitted our ships with new flight systems. They seemed impressed by the design of our ships. Or maybe they were just surprised we made it so far in these buckets of bolts. One thing they made very clear. We were not welcome to stay. Said the Sonaya wouldn't allow it. Who or what the Sonaya is, I don't know. Probably the king or someone in power. 

April 30, 2349  
Thanks to the "black holes" we were directed to set our guidance systems for, we made the distance from Primo to Segundus in only 6 days. The people reacted the same as the others. Thanked us kindly for the delivery of goods but made it clear we couldn't stay. Said they heard from Primo just lately and would we please take payment back to them. Even offered to send an ambassador with us. Ha! What else could we do? What a joke. First we asked if we could leave 3 ships there and take 2 back since we weren't sure of our reception. They agreed and again, in 2 weeks, we will be off again. Then, someone comes along and asks if we can take some supplies to a third planet. They would even send someone along to introduce us. Sure, why not. The other captains agreed. 2 ships one way, 2 staying and 1 off in another direction. At least they haven't taken us to their leader, or other such nonsense. No committees, no fussing, no discussion, just "You can't settle here but you can stay for a while." The utter humiliation of it all! To travel so far only to find that there is no place for us anywhere in the universe except Terra, a place we can not return to.

July 19, 2350  
"What a long strange trip it's been." I don't know where that quote originated but it applies to our present situation. We're scattered between 5 planets now, by a special order of the Sonaya. We've been granted settlements on Primo, Segundus, Tercera, Luthel-4 and C-Fifteen. Pardon the use of numbers but none of us are able to pronounce the names, other than Luthel and that is not an exact representation of the sounds. C-Fifteen's real name is something like Cantalon. Troublesome place. Don't know if we should stay there. Still don't know anything about the Sonaya other than they have given jurisdiction of Luthel over to us. Kind of them. They seem to be in control of all the other planets we have encountered so far.

August 26, 2350  
I've decided to take up residence on Primo, as they have allowed us to set up a small colony there, with the understanding it will grow no larger than the present set borders and that we will allow safe passage to any and all who need to travel through the area. We'll have to forego any notion of lebensraum. We have agreed. What else could we do? But the area is beautiful and my wife and I have chosen a place to build our home. High on a wooded hill overlooking a deep gorge valley. We'll be happy here I think.

January 3, 2351  
Strange occurrence today. Came across a most unusual looking creature. It looked like an antelope with wings. A woman was on its back. A beautiful woman, I might add. It took me a while to notice she was watching me as I was unabashedly staring at her. Never seen a creature so lovely. The woman, I mean. Became quite embarrassed by the look in her eyes and had to look away. Strange. I could swear I heard her say "I'm married, and so are you." Well, after a moment I looked up again and saw her and her mount take a running leap off the side of the valley where I've made my home with my family. What a sight. The mount swooped down and circled and I could swear I heard the woman whoop on the way down. So this is what Sonaya do for recreation. The thrill of flight with no machine between you and the wind. My five year old son was with me and said the only word that fits. Wow.

January 23, 2352  
Had an interesting talk with a local friend. Got him to tell me more about the Sonaya. I'd seen two Sonaya men holding hands and was curious as to why. To be frank, it disgusted me. When we arrived no Sonaya would so much as look at any of our homosexual crew members. We assumed they were homophobes. My friend laughed and said he didn't know what to say to my accusation of hypocrisy among the Sonaya. To the best of my memory, here follows our conversation.

Friend: Really, Bugby, most men who hold hands like that are brothers or very near kin. Or you probably saw the Alpha Sonaya giving instructions to one of his Betas. Anyway, most Sonaya are related in one way or another. Father/son, Uncle/nephew or some other near relation.  
Bugby: You're kidding! They didn't look anything at all like relatives.  
F: You can't always tell heredity among the earliest generations. They're able to determine the appearance of their children. The genes of twins can be completely different. The two you saw were probably Farxir and Tulhun. One was dark skinned with blond hair and the other was about your height, looked a lot like your oldest son? Dark hair? Blue eyes?  
B: That's right. How did you know?  
F: They were the two most likely. Farxir is Alpha Sonaya of this planet you call Primo. You really must learn to pronounce its real name someday. Tulhun is his brother. They have need of close communication which can easily be diluted by too many words.  
B: Alpha Sonaya? On this world? You mean there's one for each planet?  
F: All except Luthel, which they've given over to your people: Karzak, which destroyed itself millennia ago: and the Four. You haven't encountered anyone from any of the Four yet and you probably won't, though no doubt your son may. Look, getting back to your original question, the Sonaya communicate by touch. Tactopathic, you might call them. On their own home world they never wear clothes so they're able to... Now don't look at me like that. As if you think they go around in a perpetual state of orgasm.  
B: I didn't say anything like that!  
F: You didn't need to. Your eyes reveal your thoughts too well. They have perfect control over their thoughts and their bodies. They can go around in their natural state without lusting after each other. Have a complete conversation just by rubbing shoulders.  
B: So they don't like wearing clothes. Why do they?  
F: You understand they communicate through touch. Right? Well, whenever they brush against a person who's not one of them they get to "hear" what he or she is thinking or feeling at that moment. It unnerves them to be the object of someone else's affection, lust, desire, what have you. They feel responsible for causing someone else to sin, so to speak. They'd rather not be worshipped for their beautiful bodies.  
B: They're beautiful all right. Even the ones I don't find attractive. In conformation and health the black, bronze and yellow skinned are just as beautiful as the white. It's like they were the prototypes for someone's idea of the perfect humans. The expensive models. We're the cheap copies. Would be convenient to communicate the way they do though.  
F: Your analogy is a good one. Holds true for communication as well. If any of us "communed" as much as they do, we would burn out or turn to zombies. Like you said the other day, plugging a 110 appliance into a 440 outlet.  
B: ZAP!  
We laughed a while and the conversation turned to other things.

July 3, 2353  
Had an opportunity to converse with Farxir today. The topic was the order of Sonaya society.  
B: I don't understand you. You've got a patriarchal society and yet you say the women are your equals. It doesn't make sense.  
Farxir: Equals defer to each other. A woman carries a child in her body to term, asks the father if he wants to choose a name, the father considers it her right to name the child, she chooses a name to honor the child's father. When genealogies were written, the men asked which line should take predominance for the sake of conserving space. The women said the father's should. They were content that their names be included with their father's line and beside their husband's. They laughed when we suggested including the date of their birth, saying the numbers were of no consequence to them and some things were best left to memory. Men ask the women what they want, the women tell us. Often the women surprise us by going off and just doing a thing. We don't always know what it is or what it's for but they are certainly fun to watch. They're creative. Alkhadad of Cantalon benefited from having so many sisters. He was better prepared to deal with a wife than most of us.  
B: But there's still tension.  
F: Of course there is. We are opposites. Tension is part of the nature of opposites. But tension can be constructive, like two poles stretching a rope. It keeps things together as well as pulls them apart. We challenge each other. The women sing and dance, the men shout and play games. They work together, we compete. One without the other would be incomplete. We support each other as well. Some women enjoy competition, some men enjoy singing and dancing. We know what is good for us as a group and as individuals. Competition is good for us. Wars and fighting are not. When 2 things of equal value are presented to us, rather than dispensing with one or the other, we allow both. Some of us marry, some are celibate. Some like living in the mountains, others prefer the plains. So many things are left to our preferences, we hardly notice the things that aren't. It is our nature to choose life and diversity within the Giver's limits. Male and female are different but this doesn't mean one has to lord it over the other. Now, answer me a question. I do not understand you of the Silent Planet. I've read the histories you gave me and am confused by them. You claim to seek diversity yet fight against it when it comes. You value sacrifice yet often your sacrifices are to no purpose. You state that males and females are equal yet your men abuse and seek to control your women as your women seek to manipulate you. It seems to me you are in no better straits than the people of the Four or of Karzak before it's destruction. And for this reason you shall be limited to only such area as the planetary senates may allow. We have no jurisdiction over you, yet we will interfere in any conflict you may begin. Now my question is, why did you leave your home world? Why are you here?  
B: (I thought a long time before I answered.) We came from what you call the Silent Planet and we call Terra to avoid or escape the wars and strife and pollution there. We're not planning to start any and hope we did not bring any with us. Before our ancestors set off they all had to sign an agreement stating that the conflicts of Terra must stay on Terra and must not go with us. The penalty for breech of this agreement was the person would be sent out an airlock with no space suit. There is no record that penalty was ever enacted. (I was dumbfounded by Farxir's tirade and had to struggle for a response which might answer his question. At length I think I satisfied him.) 

August 27, 2358  
Asked Farxir today if I could take his picture. He reacted strangely. Said I was welcome to try but he didn't think our equipment would work. He was right. His portrait was completely blank. I suppose I should accept his explanation. He said it's very difficult for any mechanical device to see beyond their spirit. Spirit is the word he used. I told him of our concept of the aura and the force all living things have and he nodded. Asked me what colors I saw. I showed him the printout. He came across as only a white blotch in the center of a background of trees. I said I thought it was too much in close up. He said it wouldn't have made any difference. White, gold and red were normal colors. I needed to look out for blue and green. He wouldn't be specific, but told me those two colors indicated something amiss and I should avoid any Sonaya displaying them. I will take his advice.

July 4, 2365  
For the past year I have been trying to put in order my observations of the Sonaya. They do not fit what we would describe as "nice people" but they are GOOD. In fact, they are dangerously dogmatic when it comes to keeping rules, leaping to correct the slightest infraction. They can't be bought off or bribed. No one has ever found anything to use against them as blackmail. For example, a company that seeks to benefit its employees while at the same time turning a profit runs little risk of attracting attention other than when asking for help. If that company pollutes the environment, the Sonaya come along and tell them what needs to be done to stop it. Woe to the company which ignores the Sonaya, for it risks being shut down. I wonder if they could ever get to Terra? We could have used a million of them about a thousand years ago...  
They are not angels, as we have come to think of them but are flesh and blood humanoid of an amazingly long life span. They can read any writing system they have encountered in their lives but we have yet to receive an example of their own system. It is because of them that the indigenous people of Primo know so much of their history. In a way they seem like witches or wizards. In ancient Salem they would have been slain. In India they would have been added to the pantheon of gods and worshiped. Yet they appear to be monotheists. They are a primitive people with no technology, no known writing system, no organization at all that I can see and yet they rule every inhabited planet of the galaxy we have yet encountered. Societies that reject them ultimately self distruct, or so I have been told, yet I can in no way find out what it is that they do to hold things together other than demand that the societies under them conform to their law, which they ruthlessly enforce. They are enigmatic and distant to me, refusing to explain their motivations as if I were a mere beast who wouldn't understand. Well, so be it. The worst penalty they will impose upon a Terran is exile to Luthel. We have found that out already. They will not execute us, because we are out of their jurisdiction, yet for the slightest mistake they abduct and transport away, by an unknown means, all who refuse to do their bidding, as they did to my son, when all he did was start an affair with one of the daughters of my friend . The match had both his and my blessing yet they spirited him away, leaving the girl broken hearted and his mother and me frantic. Well, now we know he is alive at least, and living on Luthel, if occupying space on that planet can be termed living. It is so much like Terra as we left it that most of those living there have begun to call it Terra 2. Such a cruel thing to do. I see why many planetary senates are considering ousting them and am confounded at the number who want them to stay. Cruel, heartless beings. They remain a mystery to me.

January 10, 2366  
I understand now. Oh, how I understand. If only I had known before this, this tragedy. My friend's daughter gave birth to a child fathered by my son. It was horribly deformed. I can't even begin to describe how terribly, shockingly, heart wrenchingly hideous it was. We couldn't even tell if it was a boy or girl. The Sonaya did what they could for it, but, mercifully, it lived only a few minutes. I thought surely they would say, "See? We warned you about mixing your alien genes." After all, here, on Primo, in this sector of the galaxy, we Terrans are the aliens. We are the aliens. WE ARE THE ALIENS! But the Sonaya midwife said nothing to us. Only tried to comfort the girl as best she could and took the, well, child, away. She turned and looked at me and I saw tears in her eyes. Not just for the child, but for the girl, for my son, and for me as well. I don't know how I knew, but I knew, her tears were for me. Later in the day Farxir came to visit. He was so kind. So very kind. Merely asked me "Do you now see why we forbade this match?" I could only nod. Wanted to ask if all pairings of us and them would turn out thus but couldn't find the words. Strange how these people know what you want to ask. Even though I had said nothing, he answered the question. "We don't know, but to prevent such heartbreak as this, we must insist that Terrans and their potential partners seek us first so that we can test their genetic structure for compatibility." Again, I could only nod.  
The Sonaya have a custom similar to a Terran African mourning ritual in which they go to a bereaved house and sit outside, on the ground if there is no chair. They don't speak unless spoken to. Only one at a time. We sustained this relay for three weeks. Usually they stay for an hour or two before the next arrives. Such timing. Every Sonaya on Primo must have sat outside our door and that of my friend. I'm also sure a few from other worlds came too, for I noticed symbols of office not used here: the long braid of C-15, gold necklace of Segundus, the ring of Tercera, along with others I couldn't name. And they urge my friend and me to remain friends. Such an amazing thing...   
So this is the enemy. How ignorant, how short sighted we are! So much of our science fiction has become only fiction. There are other sentient beings, but the only ones we can communicate with look like us, or seem to. The Force, the energy that envelopes, controls and can be controlled by living things exists, but according to the Sonaya is subordinate to the Giver. Who or what that is I don't know. But I have seen Sonaya medics do amazing things, like Jedi knights. Once while they tended to my son's offspring, it almost began to look like a person, but not for long. When I asked how they did it, they said they couldn't explain it in a language I would understand. They needed more time to learn our languages. As powerful as they are, even they can't do everything.  
Farxir told a story of one culture which experimented with teleportation and managed to discover a way to move large inanimate objects, but the Sonaya forbade them to experiment on live subjects, not even volunteers. He said one scientist tried it on himself. The results were never published but rumors say he rematerialized horribly deformed, or failed to appear at all, or rematerialized in the middle of a wall. The Sonaya demand to be informed of all new scientific developments, regardless of how seemingly insignificant. They even test engaged couples for genetic compatibility. I wish I had insisted that my son and my friend's daughter do so. It would have saved us much heartache.  
I wonder if my son on Luthel-4 knows there can be no "Star Trek" pairings to produce the next generation of humanoids, spreading our infinite diversity in infinite combinations. No half Klingon, half Betazoid mixes. All our fiction must remain mere fantasy with no Romulans, Cardasians, Bajorans, Jawas, Sand-people, hyperspace, folding space, face dancers, warp drive... Has anyone told my son the consequences of his actions? I hope so. I truly hope someone told him that we are the aliens now.


End file.
